Press and control therefor



Feb, 7, 1939. H. A. RITTER PRESS AND CONTROL THEREFOR R INVENTOR HARRY A. RITTER 2y y..

ATToRNEY y Patented Feb. 7, 1939 N UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,146,270 PRESS AND CONTROL THEREFOR Application February 3, 1936, `Serial No. 62,025

7 Claims.

My invention relates to presses for laundering or ironing fabric. More particularly, my invention relates to pneumatic or fluid operated presses in which both hands of the operator must be' maintained out of the path of the closing press. An object of my invention is to provide an improved press of the iiuid operated type that is simple in construction and operation and which may be safely and effectively operated. y

Another object of my invention is to provide an improved press in which uid operated means are provided to move the head in alinement with the buck and to close the Vpress and by means of which the press may be automaticallymaintained in closed position until opening is effected by the operator.

A further object of my invention is to provide an improved press of the pneumatic'type having multiple controls in which liuid pressure is utilized to move the head of the press into alinement with the buck and to iron or press the fabric, and improved means for removing the head from the Vicinity of the buck after the ironing or pressing operation.

My invention will be better understood by reference to the accompanying drawing in which Fig. -1 is an end elevation partly in section showing the press in open position and showing the uid control means in diagrammatic form; and Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing the press `in closed position.

As illustrated in the drawing my improved `press comprises a frame l having a rearwardly extending portion 2in which a slideway is formed. Supported upon the frame I is a pair of fluid motors composed of cylinders 3 and 4 and pistons `5 and 6, respectively. The piston 5 slidingly fits `into the cylinder 3 and extends upwardly through Y `an opening 'I in a downwardly extending boss 8 on the frame and forms a support for the buck El. The piston 5 is provided with an elongated aperture Ill through which shafts II and I2 extend which are journalled in the sides of the `frame. Rigidly fastened to the shaft il Vis an arm I3 and a segmental gear I4. The other end of arm I3 is fastened to a bracket I6 which supports the head Il. Bracket i6 is provided with outwardly extending flanges or ribs I8 which slide in grooves I9 in the rearwardly extending portion of the frame as the head moves into and out of registration with the bed.` segmental gear I4 meshes with segmental gear 20 which is fastened to shaft I2. One end of a link 23 is alsofastened to the shaft I2, the other end of link 23bei ng fastened to a link 24 which is connected to the piston rod 25 of piston 5. A spring 26 connected at oneend to link 23 and at `the other end to the base of cylinder Il, or to a stationary part of the frame, serves to maintain the parts in the position shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing.

Pistons 5 and 6 are operated by uid motive power which is supplied to the cylinders 3 and 4 of the fluid motors in a predetermined sequence. As illustrated in the drawing, the pressure fluid is supplied to the cylinders through a plurality of controls designated generally by the numerals et, 3l and 32. Controls 30 and 3| are similar in construction and the parts have accordingly been designated by the same reference numerals. vEach of these controls comprises a casing 33 which houses a normally open outlet valve 35 and a normally closed inlet valve 35 which are mounted on a common stem for actuation by the manuals 31 and 31a. Spring means biases the valves toward normal position and a fluid actuated servo-motor 38 acting through arm 39 is adapted to hold the valves in actuated position.

Air or other uid under pressure may be passed into control 35 through conduit All and upon cperating manual 3l of control 35 to open Valve 36, the air is passed into casing 33 of control 3l through conduit 42 and when manual 3io: is operated to open valve 36 of control 3|, the air is conducted to control 32 through conduit 43. It will thus be seen that in order to supply fluid pressure to the press it is necessary for the operator to utilize both hands.

Control 32 is composedof avalve casing 44 which houses a normally closed outlet valve 45 and a normally open inlet valve 45, both mounted on actuating stern 41. Control 32 is also provided with a casing 48 which houses normally closed outlet valve 49 and a normally open inlet valve 50, both mounted on an actuating stem 5l. combination supply and exhaust conduit 52 connects the "lower end of cylinder 4 with casing 44. A port 53 in the wall of cylinder 4 is uncovered by piston 6 upon completion of its upward stroke. Fluid is supplied to casing 48 through port 53 and conduit 54. A supply and exhaust conduit 55 connects casing 48 with the lower end of cylinder 3. A port 56 in the wall of cylinder 3 is uncovered by piston 5 upon completion of its upward stroke. Fluid is supplied to the servomotors 38 of controls 30 and 3| through port 5B, conduit 5l and branch conduits 58 when piston `5 is raised above port 56.

A treadle 62 is pivotallyconnected to the frame I and a rod 63 which is pivotally connected to the treadle extends upwardly through an aperture between casings 44 and 48. An arm 64 is connected to the upper end of the rod 63, one end or which is provided with an aperture which receives valve stem 5I and the other end of which is adapted to bear against valve stem 41. A collar 65 is attached to valve stem 5I and a spring 66 is interposed between the collar 65 and the arm 64. When pressure is applied to treadle 62 the rod 63 and the arm 64 supported thereby is forced downwardly. Spring 66 is stronger than spring 16 so that when valve stem 5i is forced downwardly valve 50 is seated and valve 49 is opened before the spring 66 is compressed. Upon exerting further pressure upon the treadle, spring 66 is compressed and the arm 64 engages valve stem 41 closing valve 46 and opening Valve 45.

In the operation of my improved press the article to be pressed is rst placed on the buck 9. The operator then actuates manuals 31 and 31a which close valves 35 and open valves 36. Motive iluid then ilows from supply conduit 4| through the circuit described to the bottom of cylinder 4, thereby exerting pressure upon piston 6 which forces link 24 upwardly and rotates link 23, shaft I2 and gear 26 in an anti-clockwise direction. Gear 26 which meshes with gear I4 rotates that element and the shaft II in a clockwise direction. Upon rotation of the shaft II the arm I3 and bracket I6 are also rotated in a clockwise direction until the head I1 is directly above the buck 9 as shown in broken lines in Fig. 1 When the piston 6 passes the port 53 in cylinder 4, iiuid flows through conduit 54, valve casing 48 and conduit 55 to the bottom of cylinder 3 below piston 5. Piston 5 is then forced upwardly and the buck 9 is forced firmly in pressing engagement against the head I1. As the piston 5 moves upwardly, port 56 in cylinder 3 is uncovered and fluid passes through conduit 51 and its branches to the maintaining servo-motors 38 of controls 30 and 3I, respectively, thereby maintaining the valves in casings 33 in actuated position whereupon the operator may release manuals 31 and 31a and the press will remain in closed position. The parts are then in the position of Fig. 2.

To open the press the operator depresses treadle 62 which closes valve 50 and opens valve 49 and permits air to flow from the cylinder 3 through conduit 55 to exhaust. Piston 5 then returns by gravity to its normal position. When additional pressure is applied to the treadle, valve 46 is closed and valve 45 is opened to eX- haust cylinder 4. Spring 26 acting upon the link 23 then rotates the link, shaft I2 and gear 2D in a clockwise direction which in turn rotates gear I4, shaft II and arm I3 in an anti-clockwise direction and the head I3 is returned to the position shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing.

From the foregoing speciiication it will be apparent that I have provided an improved press that is simple and compact in form and in the operation of which both hands of the operator must be out of the path of the closing press. Simple and effective means are also provided for automatically maintaining the press in closed position until the treadle is pressed by the operator.

It will also be seen that as the head of the press is moved toward the operator, she, or other attendants, will be warned that the press is closing and the danger of injury will thus be minimized. Since the head is moved completely away from and below the buck when the press is open it is also apparent that the pressed fabric may be readily removed and there will be no danger to the operator caused by falling of the head due to breakage or defective parts.

In opening the press it will also be seen that the head which is usually heated is moved to the rear of the frame of the press and consequently the pressed articles may be readily removed from the buck without discomfort to the operator. 'Ihe press frame is preferably so arranged as to shield the operator completely from the heat of the head when the press is open as shown in Fig. 1.

To those skilled in the art many modifications and different embodiments of my invention will suggest themselves without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. My improved press and the description herein are merely illustrative and are not intended to be in any sense limiting.

What I claim is:

1. A pressing machine including a head, a buck,

means for normally maintaining the head out of i alinement with said buck, a cylinder having a piston slidably mounted therein, means responsive to the movement of said piston for moving said head into alinement with said buck, a second cylinder having a piston slidably mounted therein which supports said buck, means communicating with the rst cylinder whereby pressure may be applied below the piston for moving the head of the press into alinenent with said buck, means communicating with the second cylinder whereby pressure may be applied to move the buck into pressing engagement with said head, means for releasing the pressure below the piston in the second cylinder while maintaining pressure upon the piston in the rst cylinder to permit the buck to move out of engagement with said head, and means for releasing the pressure from the first cylinder, whereby said head is automatically moved out of alinement with said buck.

`2. A pressing machine including a head and a buck, means for normally maintaining said head out of alinement with said buck, a cylinder, a piston slidably mounted in said cylinder and having a piston rod, means associated with the piston rod for moving said head upon movement of said piston, means communicating with said cylinder, whereby a iluid under pressure may be applied to said piston, a two-hand control for controlling the supply of fluid to said cylinder, a second cylinder having a piston therein which supports said buck, means communicating with said cylinder whereby pressure may be applied to the second cylinder to move the buck into pressing engagement with said head, means for maintaining the .f

pressure in said cylinders, and manual means for sequentially releasing the pressure in said cylinders, whereby the buck is moved to its normal position and the head is moved out of alinement with said buck.

3. In a pressing machine, a pair of coacting pressing members relatively movable into and out of registration and relatively movable when in registration into and out of pressing engagement, means whereby said members normally move out of pressure engagement and out of registration, fluid actuated means, one for causing relative movement into registration and one for causing pressing engagement movement, fluid supply means for said means, including a control member and a supply line including a valve casing housing a normally open inlet valve in supply position and a normally closed outlet valve, iluid supply means for said press-engagement-causing means operable registration-causing by predetermined movement of said registrationcausing means, said last-named supply means including a valve casing housing a normally open inlet valve and a normally closed outlet valve, means whereby said control member normally returns to unactuated position, maintaining means for holding said control member in actuated position, means whereby predetermined movement of said pressure-engagement-causing means actuates said maintaining means, and,

means for moving the valves in both of said casings to close said inlet valves and to open said outlet valves whereby to permit said press to open.

4. In a pressing machine, a pair of coacting pressing members relatively movable into and out of registration and relatively movable when in registration into and out of pressing engagement, means whereby said members normally move out of pressure engagement and out of registration, fluid actuated means, one for causing relative movement into registration and one for causing pressing engagement movement, uid supply means for said registration-causing means, including a control member and a supply line including a valve casing housing a normally open inlet valve in supply position and a normally closed outlet valve, fluid supply means for said press-engagement-causing means operable by predetermined movement of said registrationcausing means, said last-named supply means including a valve casing housing' a normally open inlet valve and a normally closed outlet valve, means whereby said control member normally returns to unactuated position, maintaining means for holding said control member in actuated position, means whereby predetermined movement of said pressure-engagement-causing means actuates said maintaining means, means for moving the valves in both of said casings to close said inlet valves and to open said outletvalves whereby to permit said press to open, and means whereby Ithe valves in the casing of the fluid supply means for the pressure engagement 'causing means and the valves in the casing of the supply means for the registration causing means are sequentially actuated.

5. In a pressing machine, an arm of constant length pivotally mounted at one end on a fixed pivot, a pressing head rigidly connected with the other end of said arm for movement into and out of pressing position by oscillation of said arm about its pivot, and guide. means parallel to the path of movement of said head and shaped to guide said head during its movement by said arm.

6. In a pressing machine, a frame, an arm of constant length pivotally mounted at one end on a fixed pivot on said frame, a pressing member rigidly connected to the other end of said arm, means for rotating said arm whereby to move said member in an arc about said pivot,land an arcuately shaped guideway for said pressing member.

7. In a pressing machine, a head and bed pressing members relatively movable vertically into and out of pressing engagement when in pressing position, a curved guideway extending rearwardly and downwardly from a point adjacent said pressing position to a point below said bed, and means operatively connecting said head pressing member with said guideway for movement therealong.

HARRY A. RITTER. 

